Destination Facts
Capital: Tokyo
Emperor: Akihito
Government: constitutional monarchy
Time zone: GMT +9
Area: 377835
Population: 127000000
People: Japanese (including indigenous Ainu & Okinawans), Korean
Languages: Set aside several years if you want to learn to read Japanese. Japan has one of the most complex writing systems in the world, using three different scripts (four if you include the increasingly used Roman script romaji). Fortunately, for visitors to Japan, it's not all bad news. Unlike other Asian languages, Japanese is not tonal and the pronunciation system is fairly easy to master. In fact, with a little effort, getting together a repertoire of travellers' phrases should be no trouble - the only problem will be understanding what people say back to you. Shint ō , Buddhism, Christianity
Currency: Yen ( ¥ )
GDP: Approx. ¥ 3150000000000
Major industries: High-tech electronic products, motor vehicles, office machinery, chemicals, steel, textiles, processed foods
Major Trading Partners: USA, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Germany, China
Daylight Saving: From not in use to not in use
Country Dialing Code: 81
Things to do
Many of Japan's national parks have hiking routes. To experience a Japan that few foreigners see, head for the mountainous, less populated Central Alps. Skiing is normally possible from December to April on the islands of Honshū and Hokkai ō . Golf equals prestige in Japan. A fat wallet and corporate clout are handy assets if you want to step onto a green.
Events in Japan
Expect a total sell-out for travel and lodging during Japan's biggest holidays, New Year (December 29 to January 3) and Golden Week (the lumping together of Green Day, Constitution Day and Children's Day, from April 29 to May 7).
Other festivals include Coming-of-Age Day (second Monday in January), when ceremonies are held for boys and girls who have reached the age of 20.
The Japanese celebrate the end of winter on February 3 or 4 by indulging in Setsubun (bean throwing) while chanting 'in with good fortune, out with the devils'. Hanami (Blossom Viewing) usually runs from March to April;
The romantic Tanabata Matsuri (Star Festival) is on July 7; and O Bon (Festival of the Dead), when lanterns are floated on rivers, lakes or the sea to signify the return of the departed to the underworld, takes place from July 13-16 and mid-August. Kyoto's Gion Matsuri (July 17) is perhaps the most renowned of all Japanese festivals.
The climax is a parade of massive man-dragged floats decked out in incredible finery, harking back to a 9th-century request to the gods to end a plague sweeping the city. In the cute and kooky department, Niramekko Obisha (January 20; Chiba) combines a staring contest with consumption of sake - the one with the straightest face wins.
The Yah-Yah Matsuri (first Sunday to the following Saturday of February; Owase) is an argument contest: competitors scream Samurai chants and try to look fearsome. Afterwards, they take off all their clothes and jump in the ocean. White Day (March 14) is a bizarre follow up to Valentine's Day where men are supposed to reciprocate to their valentine with a gift of chocolate or marshmallow. For those into music, the Fuji Rock Festival is held over three days in late July at the Naeba Ski Resort in northwest Japan. This festival boasts an awesome lineup of local and international bands playing against a mountain backdrop.
Official holiday
Ganjitsu (New Year's Day): 1 Jan
Seijin-no-hi (Coming of Age Day): 2nd Sun in Jan
Kenkoku Kinem-bi (National Foundation Day): 11 Feb
Shumbun-no-hi (Spring Equinox): 20 or 21 Mar
Midori-no-hi (Green Day): 29 Apr
Kemp ō Kinem-bi (Constitution Day): 3 May
Kokumin-no-Saijitsu (adjoining holiday between two holidays): 4 May
-no-hi (Children's Day): 5 May
Umi-no-hi (Marine Day): 20 July
Keir ō -no-hi (Respect for the Aged): 15 Sep
Sh ū bun-no-hi (Autumn Equinox): 15 Sep
Taiiku-no-hi (Health-Sports Day): 2nd Mon in Oct
Bunka-no-hi (Culture Day): 3 Nov
Kinr ō Kansha-no-hi (Labour Thanksgiving Day): 23 Nov
Tenn ō Tanj ō bi (Emperor's Birthday): 23 Dec
Getting There
Spring (March to May), with its clear skies and cherry blossoms, is probably the most celebrated Japanese season, but the Golden Week period, which is 29 April to 7 May, is a holiday period for the Japanese and many of the more popular travel destinations tend to be flooded with domestic tourists. Autumn (September to November) is a great time to travel: the temperatures are pleasant, and the autumn colours in the countryside are fantastic.
Mid-winter (December to February) can be very cold, while the sticky summer months (June to August) can turn even the briefest excursion out of the air conditioning into a soup bath; on the plus side, major tourist attractions will generally be quieter at these times of the year. It's also worth considering peak holiday seasons when you plan your trip. Moving around and finding accommodation during New Year, Golden Week and the midsummer O-Bon festival can be a real headache.
Getting there and away
Overview : While most people fly via Tokyo, there are several other ways of getting to and from Japan. For a start, there are many other airports in Japan, some of which make better entry points than Tokyo's somewhat inconvenient new Tokyo international airport (commonly known as Narita international airport). It's also possible to arrive in Japan by sea from a number of nearby countries, particularly South Korea.
Japan has recently implemented a new immigration control system, requiring all foreigners entering the country to be fingerprinted and photographed. These measures are part of an anti-terrorist policy, from which only diplomats, children and some permanent residents are exempt. For more information, check out the Japan National Tourist Organization website.
Getting around
Overview : Flying is an efficient way to travel from the main islands to any of the small islands, and is often not much more expensive than going by rail. Check whether you qualify for discounts - there are some weird and wonderful ones (for example JAL offers discounts for three or more women travelling together, or for a husband and wife if their combined age totals 88 or more). Train is the way to travel in Japan.
The trains are fast, frequent, clean, comfortable and often very expensive. Services range from small local lines to the shinkansen super-expresses, or 'bullet trains', which have become a symbol of modern Japan. Shinkansen reach speeds of up to 300km/h (186mi/h), are spookily efficient and can be travelled on with one of Japan's few travel bargains, the Japan Rail Pass. Japan Rail Passes must be pre-purchased overseas and are valid for almost all Japan Rail services. Intercity buses are generally slower than trains, but they are markedly cheaper. Also, unless you've got a sleeper, travelling overnight in a reclining bus seat can be preferable to sitting upright on the train.
Check out the Japan Rail Pass if you are going to be a frequent rail user. Driving in Japan is much more feasible than it's normally made out to be. You wouldn't want to get behind the wheel in Tokyo, but in other urban centres the roads are fairly well signposted in English, other drivers are mostly considerate and cautious, petrol, while expensive, is not prohibitively so, and parking is not as difficult to find as popular mythology suggests. Motorcycling can be a great way of getting around Japan; 50cc 'step-thrus' are often available for local sightseeing, and you don't need a motorbike licence to drive one. Traffic in Japan moves on the left. Exploring Japan by bicycle is perfectly feasible. The secret of enjoyable touring is to get off the busy main highways and onto the minor routes.
Ferries are an excellent way of seeing parts of Japan you might otherwise miss. The most dense network of ferry routes connects Ky ū sh ū , Shikoku and the southern coast of western Honsh ū , across the waters of the Inland Sea. Ferries also connect the mainland islands with the many smaller islands off the coast and those dotted down to Okinawa and beyond to Taiwan. Local transport is generally efficient. The largest cities have subway systems, which are the fastest and most convenient way to get around. Almost every Japanese city will have a bus service, but many foreigners find buses difficult to use. Trams, which operate in a number of cities, are easier to negotiate. Taxis are convenient but (what a surprise!) expensive.
Visa: Japan has recently introduced stringent new immigration controls as part of its anti-terrorism policy. All foreigners must now be photographed and fingerprinted upon entering the country, so that their details may be cross-referenced on international and domestic crime and terrorist databases. Refusal to cooperate with these new measures will result in deportation. Citizens of most western European nations, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand (among others) do not require a visa before arrival and will be issued a 90-day short-stay visa upon arrival in Japan. For information on visas visit the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Customs: The penalties for importing drugs are very severe. Although the Japanese are no longer censoring pubic hair in domestically produced pornography, customs officers will still confiscate any pornographic materials in which pubic hair is visible. There are no limits on the importation of foreign or Japanese currency. The export of foreign currency is also unlimited but there is a 5000000 export limit for Japanese currency.
Duty Free: Customs allowances include the usual tobacco products plus three 760mL bottles of alcoholic beverages, 57g of perfume, and gifts and souvenirs up to a value of 200,000 or its equivalent. You must be over the age of 20 to qualify for these allowances.
Electric Plugs: Japanese-style plug with two parallel flat blades. 100V. 50Hz
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